12359 Serves 4 Wed Aug 06 01:05:18 -0700 2008 Tue Feb 03 08:43:48 -0800 2009 Licensed http://www.chow.com/recipes/12359 Tue, 03 Feb 2009 16:43:48 GMT This classic duck breast dish of Gascony, called lou magret in Gascon, is sautéed and served rosy pink. After the breast is cooked, it is thinly sliced on the diagonal—much in the manner of a London broil; slices cut this way are much more tender. Many Gascons prefer theirs without any sauce. They twist a pepper mill over the slices, devouring them along with a pile of frites with the same gusto and delight as we devour a good steak. I enjoy it with a drizzle of a shallot vinaigrette.

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About 1 hour before serving, remove the duck breasts from the refrigerator and while the fat is still cold, use a thin long-bladed knife to shave off the thinnest layer from the skin to remove the little “bumps,” then make very small crosshatch marks at a 45-degree angle all over the skin side. Peel away the tendon underneath and reserve for some other purpose. Wipe the breast dry; sprinkle with sea salt and pepper.

Heat a large heavy skillet over moderate heat. Add the duck breasts, skin side down, and immediately reduce the heat to moderately low. Sauté the breasts until crisp and brown, about 8 to 10 minutes, tilting the skillet and spooning off the fat 3 or 4 times. Flip the duck breasts over, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and finish cooking for 3 to 5 minutes to brown the flesh side and crisp the skin. With your thumb and middle finger, pinch the meat under the skin side to test for doneness. If it springs back quickly, the meat is rare; if there is some give, it is medium.

Remove the duck from the skillet to a paper towel–lined carving board, tent with foil, and leave to rest at least 10 minutes. Thinly slice meat crosswise on the diagonal and arrange overlapping on a serving platter. Sprinkle with sea salt and freshly ground pepper. Serve the Shallot Vinaigrette on the side.

Soak the shallots in the vinegar for 10 minutes. Mix in the rest of the ingredients and let stand until ready to use.

To substitute Muscovy duck breasts in this recipe: Brine 4 large Muscovy duck breast halves, 10 to 12 ounces each, in your favorite salt brine or in 1 recipe Brine for Muscovy Duck Breast (pages 172–173) overnight. The following day, score the fat in a crosshatch pattern without cutting into the flesh. Pat dry and place, skin side down, in a heated large skillet set over moderate heat and sauté for 7 minutes, tilting the skillet once or twice to remove fat. Flip over the breast and continue to sauté for 3 to 5 minutes, or until desired doneness. Let rest before slicing and serving.

To substitute Pekin duck breasts: Marinate 4 boneless Pekin duck breast halves, 6 to 8 ounces each, overnight in the Gascon Marinade (page 175). Score the skin, sauté the breasts skin side down in a heavy skillet until crisp, about 2 minutes; pour off the fat. Then remove the duck breasts from the pan and let them rest for up to 30 minutes before finishing the cooking, skin side up.

]]> http://www.chow.com Paula Wolfert 50 Main 2 boneless Moulard duck breast halves (magrets), 1 to 1¼ pounds each

]]> Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

]]> Shallot Vinaigrette (at right)

]]> 2 large shallots, peeled and thinly sliced

]]> 1½ tablespoons Banyuls or sherry vinegar

]]> ¼ cup French walnut oil

]]> 1 teaspoon minced fresh chives

]]> Pinch each of sugar, salt, and freshly ground pepper

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